CN114119252A

CN114119252A - Collecting and evaluating driving data to give insurance quotes

Info

Publication number: CN114119252A
Application number: CN202110784586.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T·豪加德; T·里德奥特; M·P·斯莱特里; J·F·格里芬
Original assignee: Rivian Automotive LLC
Current assignee: Rivian Automotive LLC
Priority date: 2020-08-31
Filing date: 2021-07-12
Publication date: 2022-03-01
Also published as: DE102021120770A1; US20220067839A1; DE102021120770A8

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for recording and evaluating driving data for a particular operator and for offering insurance offers to automobiles. In an illustrative embodiment, a system includes a driving data monitor configured to receive driving data regarding driving behavior of at least one operator of a vehicle. The driving data processing system is configured to receive driving data from the driving data monitor and assign a driving score based on the driving data. The driving data processor determines whether the driving score meets a driving insurance offer provided by an insurance provider. In response to the score matching the driving insurance offer, communicating the driving insurance offer via the interface.

Description

Collecting and evaluating driving data to give insurance quotes

Introduction to the design reside in

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for recording and evaluating driving data of one or more operators and giving (extended) automobile insurance offers.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Automobile insurance providers typically determine the driver's automobile insurance rates based on the risks faced by the driver. Insurance providers typically use multivariate analysis to determine the likelihood of driver involvement in an accident based on a compilation of historical data that may indicate the frequency of loss-related events involving drivers of the same age, gender, and similar determining factors, as well as the cost of such events. The insurance provider may also consider the driver's own historical driving history for loss-related events and whether he or she is alerted by speeding, reckless driving, or distracted driving, or other driving violations. Rate quotes may vary greatly from insurance provider to insurance provider, as the actuarial data for the insurance provider may vary, as may the weight of loss-related events in the driver's records.

Regardless of how insurance providers attempt to evaluate demographic data and driver individual records, the aggregated data may not provide a complete assessment of the likelihood that a particular driver is involved in loss-related events. To name a few examples, drivers may have a reckless driving habit, but still try to avoid losing related events or being informed by driving violations. A young, inexperienced driver may be considered a high risk, and therefore, be considered a high insurance cost, based on actuarial predictions, but that particular inexperienced driver may prove to be an extremely drier and cautious driver. Previously careless drivers, if an accident or driving violation occurred in the past, may have taken lessons from these situations and become a more attentive and cautious driver.

It makes sense for a driver to base insurance rates on an accurate assessment of the driver's driving. It is also desirable for insurance providers to be able to accurately rate drivers according to their driving behavior so that appropriately priced rates can be provided according to the actual risks associated with the policy.

Disclosure of Invention

The disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for recording and evaluating driving data for a particular operator and for offering car insurance offers to the operator.

In an illustrative embodiment, a system includes a driving data monitor configured to receive driving data regarding driving behavior of at least one operator of a vehicle. The driving data processing system is configured to receive driving data from the driving data monitor and assign a driving score based on the driving data. The driving data processor determines whether the driving score meets a driving insurance offer provided by an insurance provider. In response to the score matching the driving insurance offer, communicating the driving insurance offer via the interface.

In another illustrative embodiment, a vehicle includes a cabin configured to at least one passenger. The driving system is configured to drive, accelerate, decelerate, stop, and steer the vehicle. The vehicle control system is configured to allow an operator to guide operation of the vehicle. The driving data monitor is configured to receive driving data regarding driving behavior. The driving analysis system is configured to receive driving data from the driving data monitor, assign a driving score based on the driving data, determine whether the driving score meets a driving insurance offer provided by an insurance provider, and communicate the driving insurance offer via the interface in response to the score meeting the driving insurance offer.

In another illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes collecting driving data indicative of driving behavior to report data regarding at least one driving activity selected from acceleration, deceleration, stopping, and steering of a vehicle. A driving score is assigned based on the driving data. It is determined whether the driving score meets a driving insurance offer provided by an insurance provider. In response to the driving score meeting the driving insurance offer, communicating the driving insurance offer.

Further suitable features, advantages and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for recording and evaluating driving data and presenting car insurance offers to an operator;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of trip data collected by the driving data monitor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of records included in the trip data of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of the driving data analysis system of FIG. 1 evaluating the presentation of driving insurance offers using the trip data of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle supporting the system of FIG. 1 for possible presentation of driving insurance offers;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a vehicle system in communication with a remote system for facilitating presentation of driving insurance offers;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computing system that performs the functions of one or more in-vehicle or remote systems;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an operator assistance system that may be monitored or otherwise in communication with the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a sensor system that may be used by the system of FIG. 1 to collect trip data;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cabin of a vehicle in communication with the system of FIG. 1; and is

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of an illustrative method of recording and evaluating driving data to give an operator an automobile insurance offer.

Detailed Description

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be noted that the first digit of a three digit reference number and the first two digits of a four digit reference number correspond to the first digit of a one digit reference number and the first two digits of a reference number, respectively, in which the element first appears.

The following description explains, by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation, various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods for evaluating the driving behavior of an operator to determine whether a driving insurance offer should be communicated to the operator based on the driving behavior of the operator.

Referring to fig. 1, various embodiments of the present disclosure include a system 100 for monitoring the driving behavior of an operator and potentially giving the operator a driving insurance offer 125. As an overview, in various embodiments, the system 100 includes a driving data monitor 110, a driving analysis system 120, and an interface 130. As described further below, the driving data monitor 110 is used to collect data regarding the behavior of a particular operator, which is stored as trip data 115 that may be used to assess operator driving. The driving analysis system 120 evaluates the data collected by the driving data monitor 110 to score the operator's driving and to determine whether the operator is worth the driving insurance quote 125 and the terms of the quote. (the driving insurance quotes 125 are shown in dashed lines, as the driving insurance quotes 125 are only generated when the driving analysis system 120 determines that it is appropriate to present the driving insurance quotes 125.) the interface 130 may be used to communicate the driving insurance quotes 125 to the operator and/or receive input from the operator relating to the driving insurance quotes 125.

Referring additionally to fig. 1, in various embodiments, the driving data monitor 110 is configured to collect information about the operator's driving behavior using one or more vehicle sensors 111 and/or one or more monitor sensors 113. The vehicle sensors 111 include sensors (not shown in FIG. 1) integrated or mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle sensors 111 may include sensors coupled to the vehicle's driving system to measure speed, acceleration, and braking. The vehicle sensors 111 may also include one or more cameras or other sensors configured to measure following distances to other vehicles to determine whether the vehicle is staying within a lane, where the operator is driving and/or parking, how much the operator uses operator assistance features, or auto-driving features. As described further below, the vehicle sensors 111 may also include other sensors to collect data regarding operator driving behavior, including one or more inward facing cameras or other devices to monitor distracted driving. The monitor sensors 113 may be housed within the driving data monitor 110, and although they may be integrated into the vehicle, the monitor sensors 113 need not be coupled to the vehicle. The monitor sensors 113 may include accelerometers, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and other sensors that may monitor acceleration, turning, braking, position, and other data without having to be coupled to or in communication with vehicle systems. The types of sensors included in the vehicle sensors 111 and the monitor sensors 113 will be described further below.

In various embodiments, the driving data monitor 110 may be an integral part of the vehicle, such as part of a control system (not shown in fig. 1) incorporated into the operation of the vehicle. In various other embodiments, the driving data monitor 110 may include another computing system, such as a portable computer, tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, or other device that may be moved on the vehicle and/or communicate with sensors on the vehicle to monitor sensors that provide information about driving behavior. The movable driving data monitor 110 may communicate with the vehicle sensors 111 through wired communication provided via an interface within the vehicle or through wireless communication such as bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other protocols.

By using a computing system that can move in different vehicles or communicate with sensors on different vehicles, information about the driving behavior of a particular operator can be collected even when the particular operator uses more than one vehicle. It may be desirable to be able to collect driving behavior information across multiple vehicles when the operator is a member of a family that owns multiple vehicles, when the operator uses a carpool service, or when the operator is traveling regularly and using rental cars may constitute a significant portion of the operator's driving time.

Information collected by the driving data monitor 110 using the vehicle sensors 111 and the monitor sensors 113 is collected in trip data 115, which stores data about operator driving. The trip data 115 may be stored in the driving data monitor 110 until it is requested by and/or provided to the driving analysis system 120. The trip data 115 may also be stored in a separate data repository on the vehicle or in a storage device on a network in communication with the driving data monitor 110 until requested by and/or provided to the driving analysis system 120. Trip data 115 may also be continuously provided to and stored by the driving analysis system 120 for current or subsequent analysis.

The driving analysis system 120 evaluates the trip data 115 to evaluate the operator to determine whether the operator's driving behavior is worthwhile to provide the driving insurance quote 125. In various embodiments, the driving analysis system 120 may be configured to evaluate any number of factors in determining whether to present the driving insurance offer 125 to the operator. As previously described and explained in more detail below, the trip data 115 evaluated by the driving analysis system 120 presents driving behavior information that indicates a level of risk associated with an insured driver. For example only, the driving analysis system 120 examines the sensor data stored in the trip data 115 to determine the speed at which the operator is driving, the strength of the operator's acceleration, braking, and turning, how close the operator is following other vehicles, and how well the operator remains in the selected lane. The driving analysis system 120 may also analyze whether the operator is driving on a road or is parked in an area where the risk of vehicle related losses is high. The driving analysis system 120 may also assess the extent to which the operator relies on available operator assistance features or autopilot that may help reduce loss-related events. The driving analysis system 120 may also evaluate other factors that indicate the likelihood that the operator will be involved in a loss-related event, such as distracted driving.

In various embodiments, and as described further below, a driving score may be assigned to each trip performed by the operator and/or a series of trips performed by the operator. The driving score is based on consideration of factors indicative of operator involvement in loss-related events, such as those previously described. For example, the driving score may include factors such as the degree to which the operator uses available operator assistance capabilities that may reduce the risk of the event or uses automated driving. Further, the operator's driving behavior may be assessed by comparing the driving speed to an announced speed limit or an adjusted speed limit based on detected road or weather conditions. The driving behavior may be evaluated based on a rapid acceleration, which may be excessive based on a predetermined acceleration limit. The driving behavior may also be evaluated based on an emergency braking that decelerates the vehicle faster than a predetermined deceleration limit. Detection of distracted driving may also be used to assess driving behavior. Based on the evaluation of these factors, a driving score may be generated that indicates a likelihood that the operator is involved in the loss-related event.

The driving analysis system 120 may generate a driving insurance quote 125 when the driving score based on the trip data 115 for the specified number of trips indicates that the operator is at risk of loss-related events within an acceptable range for the insurance provider. The driving insurance quotes 125 are then presented to the operator via the interface 130. The interface 130 may be part of the driving data monitor 110, the driving data processing system 120, or another computing system integrated with, movable on, or in communication with the vehicle. The interface 130 may also be a completely separate computing device usable by the operator, such as a computer, smartphone, or other device through which the operator receives email or other electronic communications.

In various embodiments, the driving insurance quote 125 may be generated for presentation to the driver in a variety of different situations. For example, the operator may request a driving insurance offer 125 from an insurance provider associated with the system 100, and if the driving analysis system 120 determines that the operator is worth the offer, the system 100 will generate the driving insurance offer 125. Alternatively, the driving insurance quote 125 may be generated independently of the operator request. For example, although the operator may have rejected prior offers provided by the insurance provider, if the driving analysis system 120 determines from the trip data 115 that the operator's driving behavior is better than previously estimated or improved over time, additional or updated driving insurance offers 125 may be presented to the operator at a potentially more desirable rate. In any case, the presented driving insurance quotes 125 are based at least in part on actual personalized information about the operator's driving behavior collected by the driving data monitor 110 and analyzed by the driving analysis system 120, rather than being predicted solely from actuarial tables or previous events and police records.

Referring to fig. 2, the trip data 115 may include a

record

211 and 215 for each trip, including trips 1211, trips 2212, trips 3213, trips 4214, etc. to trip N215, as monitored by the driving data monitor 110. Because the driving data monitor 110 may be integrated into a vehicle (not shown in fig. 2) or otherwise located on a vehicle that may be driven or controlled by different operators, the trip data 115 may include driving

data sets

210, 220, and 230 for each of a plurality of different operators in a home or otherwise monitored by the driving data monitor. Thus, for example, the driving data sets may include the driving data set of the operator 1210, the driving data set of the operator 2220, and the like through the driving data set of the operator N230. The driving

data sets

210, 220, and 230 may be maintained individually, word by word, as shown in FIG. 2, or the driving

data sets

210, 220, and 230 may be maintained in a linked list or in a portion of a data storage array from which the driving data sets may be logically accessed, as shown in FIG. 2. It should be appreciated that it may be useful to maintain separate data driving sets for individual drivers. Conventionally, driving insurance is signed for an individual based on a particular vehicle, demographic information of the vehicle, and general driving history; this is even more appropriate in various embodiments of monitoring detailed driving behavior of an individual in order to be able to specifically assess the risk of loss associated with the driving behavior of an individual operator as described herein. As described further below, in various embodiments, the driving data monitor 110 is configured to identify an operator of the vehicle to help ensure that the driving data is properly associated with the appropriate operator.

Referring to fig. 3, the recording of individual trips, such as the trip 1211, may store a wide range of information collected by the driving data monitor 110 from the vehicle sensors 111 and/or the monitor sensors 113. The record 211 may include an operator identifier 310 to identify the operator of the trip, although such an operator identifier 310 may be omitted if, as shown in fig. 2, records for different operators are collected in different data sets, such as the driving

data sets

210, 220, 230. The records 211 may include different categories of information, such as location and time data 320, travel data 330, and data from the operator assistance system 340. The operator assistance system 340, which may provide assistance up to and including autopilot, includes automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, and other features described in detail below with reference to fig. 9. The data from the operator assistance system 340 includes information about when the operator uses one or more features of the operator assistance system 340, and to what extent the features of the operator assistance system 340 initiate actions that help the operator avoid potential hazards such as collisions, unexpected lane departures, and the like. The record 211 may include a field that stores a driving score 350 assigned to the record 211, which represents an overall assessment of the trip represented therein.

The location and time data 320 may provide information about when and where the vehicle was operated. It should be appreciated that the type of road being driven may be a factor in the driving behavior assessment, taking into account the type, congestion and condition of the road and driving under various weather conditions. Both the location where the vehicle has been parked and the travel time may be relevant when considering the risk of loss that may affect the driving insurance quote 125. For example, whether an operator is traveling a long distance on a crowded, off-lane highway may represent a different risk situation during rush hour in major cities as compared to traveling a short distance on a small community of ground streets at night or nighttime when the road is less crowded. Roads with poor road conditions, for example due to lack of maintenance or continued freeze-thaw conditions in cold climates, may pose a greater risk of collision-free damage to vehicles than roads that remain well-protected streets or in warm climates. Parking in blocks where the crime rate associated with vehicles is high, whether as a starting point or a destination, is relevant to determining the risk associated with a trip. Thus, the location and time data 320 may be considered in assessing the risk of loss, which may be factored into the driving insurance quotes 125.

With additional reference to fig. 3, the location and time data 320 may include an origin identifier 321 indicating an origin of travel and a destination identifier 323 specifying a destination of travel. Also, the condition of the vehicle parking place may affect the evaluation of the risk of loss. Similarly, departure time 322 and arrival time 324 may not only be indicative of congestion and other traffic conditions, but may also represent the length of the trip, all of which may result in the risk and possible severity of the loss associated with the trip. Further, route data 325 indicating whether the operator selected a ground street, local highway, lane-splitting highway, or other route may indicate a risk of loss that may be expected.

With further reference to fig. 3, the travel data 330 may further illustrate the loss risk associated with a particular operator. In addition to the time and location at which the operator operates the vehicle, various sensors, mentioned above and described further below, may be used to collect data regarding the degree to which the operator controls the vehicle. Accelerometers and/or gyroscopes may be used to collect data about braking 331, acceleration 332, and turning 334. GPS sensors may also be used to monitor these data elements. Similarly, sensors integrated into the vehicle may also measure changes in the speedometer to collect data about braking 331 and acceleration 332. Data may be collected from speedometers or GPS sensors to determine 335 at what speed the operator is traveling, and whether this is in compliance with announced limits (which may be stored in map data) and other conditions, including, for example, traffic and weather conditions.

As described further below, the additional vehicle sensors 111 or monitor sensors 113 may be used to collect additional information, such as following distance 336 between the vehicle and other vehicles on the road, lane tracking 337 indicating the degree of deviation of the operator at the edge of the lane or road edge, phone usage 338 that may indicate whether the operator is distracted from controlling the vehicle, and other information collected by the additional sensors.

In various embodiments, the degree of use of the features of the operator assistance system 340 may be substantial in assessing the risk of loss associated with a trip. For example, when the operator is controlling the vehicle, the use of automatic braking to avoid collisions, lane departure warning or lane keeping assist systems, blind spot detection systems, and other systems that may prevent events may help reduce the risk of loss-related events. Similarly, automated driving, which may be safer than manually operated vehicles, is used; with autonomous driving, the risk of loss-related events may also be reduced. Thus, the use of operator assistance features and/or autopilot may be recorded in the use of the operator assistance system field 340 for evaluation of the operator by the driving analysis system 120 (FIG. 1).

Based on the information collected in the record of the trip 1211, in various embodiments, the driving analysis system 120 may assign a driving score 350 (fig. 1) to the trip. On the other hand, as described below with reference to FIG. 4, the driving scores may be tabulated and assigned to a series of trips, rather than to individual trips. In either case, the driving score 350 indicates the risk or relative risk that the operator incurs a loss-related event. Thus, the driving score 350 can be used to determine whether to provide the driving insurance offer 125 and what the terms of the driving insurance offer 125 may be.

Referring to fig. 4A, the driving analysis system 120 scores or evaluates the trip data 115 from multiple trips to determine whether to generate a driving insurance offer 125 and what the terms of the driving insurance offer may be. As described with reference to fig. 1, the trip data 115 may include a separate repository of trip data for each of a plurality of operators. Alternatively, the trip data 115 may include a collective repository of data for all operators monitored by the driving data monitor 110, but associated with individual operators through the operator identifier 310 (fig. 3) to allow the driving analysis system 120 to later access information for a particular operator. In the example of FIG. 4, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the driving analytics system 120 accesses a repository of trip data for the operator 1401 that includes records of trips 1-N211 and 215.

As described with reference to FIG. 3, in various embodiments, the individual scores 1-N411-415 may be assigned for each of the runs 1-N211-215 as previously described with reference to FIG. 3. (the individual scores 1-N411-415 are represented by the dashed lines to indicate that the individual scores 1-N411-415 are optional features). The scores 1-N411-415 may be averaged or otherwise statistically evaluated to assign an overall score 450 for the operator to collect data from the trips 1-N211-215. In various embodiments, the trip data from trips 1-N211-215 may be collectively evaluated in order to assign an overall score 450. As previously described, the overall driving score 450 represents the risk or relative risk of the operator suffering a loss-related event.

Based on the overall driving score 450, the driving analysis system 120 determines whether to generate and present the driving insurance offer 125 to the operator. As previously described, whether the driving insurance quote 125 is generated and presented may be triggered by an operator request for the driving insurance quote 125. In various embodiments, the driving analysis system may periodically generate and present driving insurance offers 125. In other embodiments, when the aggregate score 450 indicates that the driving insurance offer 125 may be less costly or attractive to the operator than the previous driving insurance offer 425 presented to the operator, the driving insurance offer 125 may be generated and presented to the operator. In other words, when the driving analysis system 120 determines that it can provide a better offer to the operator than the previous driving insurance offer 425, the driving analysis system 120 may repeatedly or continuously review the trip data 115 for the operator and generate the driving data insurance offer 125.

In various embodiments, the previous driving insurance quote 425 may be a quote based on a generalized multivariate evaluation based on operator descriptive factors and/or driving history. In various embodiments, the previous driving insurance quotes 425 may also be made based on detailed analysis performed by the driving analysis system 120, but after a period of time has elapsed, the driving analysis system 120 may generate a more favorable analysis of the operator that will support the generation of the driving insurance quotes 125.

Further, using the data collected by the driving data monitor 110 and analyzed by the driving analysis system 120, one or more recommendations for safer driving may be presented to the operator. The driving analysis system 120 may provide the recommendations using an operator display and input system described below with reference to fig. 5, or another interface for communicating with the operator. As described further below, the recommendation may include the use of operator assistance features or an automated driving system. Specific advice may be made regarding driving a route or stopping at a location that is unlikely to result in a loss-related event. Specific advice on speed, following distance and other driving behavior may be presented to the operator. Such recommendations may help the operator avoid loss-related events, which in turn may result in more favorable driving insurance offers 125 being available to the operator.

Referring to fig. 4B, the driving analysis system 120 may also score or evaluate trip data 115 for multiple trips from multiple operators sharing one or more vehicles to determine whether to generate the driving insurance quote 125 and what the terms of the driving insurance quote may be. As previously described, the trip data 115 may include a repository of separate trip data for each of a plurality of operators, including the repository of trip data for operator 1401, operator 2403 through operator N405. As previously described, the trip data 115 may include a collective repository of data for all operators monitored by the driving data monitor 110, but is associated with individual operators through the operator identifier 310 (fig. 3) to allow the driving analysis system 120 to later access information for each of the operators. In the example of fig. 4B, the driving analysis system 120 accesses a repository of trip data for each of the operator 1401, the operator 2403 through the operator N405.

In various embodiments, the repositories of trip data for each of the operator 1401, the operator 2403 through the operator N405 may each be individually evaluated and/or scored to generate an individual

overall score

450, 452, and 454 for each of the operators, as previously described with reference to fig. 4A for the overall driving score 450 determined for the operator 1. The individual

overall scores

450, 452, and 454 may then be combined to produce an overall score 455 for all operators sharing the vehicle. The aggregate score 455 may then be used by the driving analysis system 120 to determine whether an aggregate driving insurance quote should be made 495. In various embodiments, it should be understood that rather than generating an individual overall score for each of the operators, each of the trip scores as a whole may be combined to generate the aggregate score 495. It should be appreciated that the aggregate driving insurance offer 495 may be determined based on a combination of the overall driving scores 450, 452, and 454 and the aggregate driving score 455 for the individual operators, as described with reference to fig. 4A.

Referring to fig. 5, various embodiments include systems that may be integrated into, mounted on, or otherwise in communication with a vehicle 500. The vehicle 500 includes on-board systems to operate the vehicle 500, help monitor the operator's driving behavior, and perform other functions. Vehicle 500 may include an automobile, truck, Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), or similar vehicle for on-highway and/or off-highway travel. The vehicle 500 includes a body 510 that supports a cabin 520 to accommodate an operator and optionally one or more passengers, as well as the aforementioned systems.

The vehicle 500 includes a steering system 530 that drives, accelerates, decelerates, stops, and steers the vehicle 500 along with front and

rear wheels

532, 534. In various embodiments, the steering system 530 is guided by the operator control system 540 and/or the operator assistance system 340. The operator control system 540 cooperates with an operator display and input system 550 within the cabin 520. The operator display and input system 550 includes all operator inputs, including steering control, acceleration and braking control, and all other operator input controls. The operator display and input system 550 also includes data devices that provide information to the operator, including speedometers, tachometers, fuel gauges, thermometers, and other output devices. The operator display and input system 550 also allows an operator to control and interact with the operator assistance system 340 when the vehicle 500 is equipped with the operator assistance system 340.

The operator assistance system 340 includes available automatic, self-driving capabilities or other features to assist the operator, such as a forward collision warning system, an automatic emergency braking system, a lane departure warning system, and other features described below with reference to fig. 8. Thus, the operator assistance system 340 partially or fully controls operation of the vehicle 500 and/or provides warnings to the operator, which may help the operator avoid an accident. Thus, the operator assistance system 340, in lieu of or in cooperation with the operator control system 540, drives, accelerates, decelerates, stops, and steers the vehicle 500 and/or provides information and warnings to the operator of the vehicle 500 in conjunction with the driving system 530.

In various embodiments, the vehicle 500 may also include a driving data monitor 110, trip data 115, and a driving analysis system 120. Each of the driving data monitor 110, trip data 115, and driving analysis system 120 are represented by dashed lines to indicate that these features may be integrated into or as part of the vehicle 500, or may be supported by one or more separate systems that are movable on the vehicle 500, or may be supported by a remote system in communication with the vehicle 500.

As previously described, the driving data monitor 110 may be in communication with one or more vehicle sensors 111 mounted on or within the vehicle 500. The vehicle sensors 111 may include sensors coupled to the vehicle driving system 530 to measure speed, acceleration, and braking. The vehicle sensors 111 may also include one or more cameras or other sensors configured to measure following distances to other vehicles to determine whether the vehicle is staying within a lane, where the operator is driving and/or parking, how much the operator uses the operator assist features or auto-driving features, and other information that may be indicative of operator driving behavior. One or more cameras or other sensors may also be used to assess and monitor weather and road conditions, for example, to determine whether the road is dry, wet or icy. The driving data monitor 110 may also employ its own monitor sensor 113 (fig. 1) that may be housed within the driving data monitor 110, as previously described, including accelerometers, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and other sensors. The types of sensors included in the vehicle sensors 111 and the monitor sensors 113 will be described further below.

As described further below, trip data 115 collected by the driving data monitor 110 may be stored in the driving data monitor 110, in the driving analysis system 120, or in a separate data store on the vehicle 500, or maintained over a network in communication with the vehicle 500.

As previously described with reference to fig. 1-4, the driving analysis system 120 is also represented in dashed lines, as the driving analysis system 120 may be integrated into or part of the vehicle 500, or may be supported by one or more separate systems that may be mobile on the vehicle 500 or one or more remote systems that communicate with the vehicle 500 over a network, as described further below. When the driving analysis system 120 generates the driving insurance quotes 125 (fig. 1 and 4; not shown in fig. 5), the driving insurance quotes may be presented via an interface including an operator display and input system 550 on the vehicle, or via a separate interface 130 as previously described with reference to fig. 1.

Because the tracking of the trip data 115 by the driving data monitor 110 is associated with a particular operator, it is desirable to identify the operator of the vehicle 500 to ensure that the trip data 115 is associated with the appropriate operator. To this end, in various embodiments, the vehicle 500 further includes an operator identification system 570 that may communicate with the driving data monitor 110 to provide operator identification information to the driving data monitor 110. As described further below, various embodiments of the operator identification system 570 may identify an operator based on the driver's seat being moved to a location for use by a particular operator, by detecting a key fob assigned to a particular operator, by identifying the presence of a cell phone in the cabin 520 owned by a particular operator, by using an imaging system, or by other devices and methods.

In addition to an in-vehicle system, various embodiments may communicate with one or more remote computing systems to perform the functions described herein. For example, it may be desirable to communicate the trip data 115 to a remote computing system or to store the trip data on a remote computing system. The trip data 115 may be used in a driving analysis system 120, which may also be supported by a remote computing system.

Referring to FIG. 6, the operating environment 600 of the vehicle 500 may include a remote computing system 650 configured to communicate with systems on the vehicle 500, such as the driving data monitor 110. For example, the driving data monitor 110 may transmit the trip data 115 to the remote computing system 650 and receive data such as the driving insurance quotes 125 (fig. 1 and 4) from the remote computing system 650 over the network 610. The driving data monitor 110 and/or other systems on the vehicle 500 may be connected to the network 610 via a wireless communication link 612, such as a satellite, cellular, or Wi-Fi communication link. When the vehicle 500 is parked, the vehicle may also be coupled to the network 600 via a wired network link, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or ethernet connection, which may be part of a wiring harness for charging the vehicle 500 when the vehicle 500 is an electric or hybrid vehicle. Remote computing system 650, which may include a server or server farm, also communicates with network 610 over wired and/or wireless communication links 614. The remote computing system 650 may access programs and data for performing its functions over a high speed bus 660 having a data storage device 670.

The information maintained in the data storage device 670 includes a trip data archive 672 that may be used to store trip data from a plurality of trips, as described with reference to FIG. 4. The data store 670 may also include historical driving data 674, including personal data about the operator or driving history data, which may be used with driving behavior data represented in the trip data to generate driving insurance offers. The data store 670 may also include historical insurance data 676 regarding the operator. For example, as previously described, before presenting the driving insurance offer 125, it may be desirable to see if the proposed driving insurance offer 125 represents a lower cost or more favorable transaction for the operator. The data store 670 may also include premium rate data 680, which may be required to determine what rate, procedure charge, exemption amount, or other parameters to include in the driving insurance quote 125.

Using many different types of information maintained in data storage 670, remote computing system 650 may also be configured with programming instructions to support the functionality of driving analysis system 120 (fig. 1 and 4). Thus, in various embodiments, the driving data monitor 110 may be integrated with or onboard the vehicle 500 to collect trip data 115 and communicate the trip data 115 to a remote computing system 650 that performs the functions of the driving analysis system 120 via the network 610. If the driving analysis system 120 determines the driving insurance quote 125 (fig. 1 and 4), the driving insurance quote 125 may be communicated to the vehicle or another interface (fig. 1) via the network 610 to present the driving insurance quote 125 to the operator. In other various embodiments, the driving data monitor 110, trip data 115, and driving analysis system 120 may be integrated within or onboard the vehicle 500, and the driving analysis system 120 may access the remote computing system 650 to retrieve historical insurance data 676, insurance rate data 680, or other information that the driving analysis system 120 may use to generate driving insurance offers 125. The driving data monitor 110, the driving analysis system 120, and their functions of collecting and evaluating trip data 115 and generating driving insurance quotes 125 are not limited to any particular configuration or location of components or data used or generated by each.

Referring to FIG. 7, and given by way of example only and not limitation, some form of computing system 700 may be used for a computing system on vehicle 500 (FIG. 5) or a remote computing system 650 (FIG. 6). In various embodiments, computing system 700 typically includes at least one processing unit 720 and a system memory 730. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, system memory 730 may be volatile memory, such as random access memory ("RAM"), non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory ("ROM"), flash memory, etc., or some combination of volatile and non-volatile memory. System memory 730 typically holds an operating system 732, one or more applications 734, and program data 736. Operating system 732 may include any number of operating systems executable on a desktop or portable device, including, but not limited to, Linux, Microsoft Windows

Apple

Or

Or a proprietary operating system.

The computing system 700 may also have additional features or functionality. For example, computing system 700 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, tape, or flash memory. Such additional storage is illustrated in FIG. 7 by removable storage 740 and non-removable storage 750. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. System memory 730, removable storage 740 and non-removable storage 750 are all examples of computer storage media. Available types of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory (both removable and non-removable) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, Digital Versatile Disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computing system 700. Any such computer storage media may be part of computing system 700.

Computing system 700 may also have input device(s) 760 such as keyboard, mouse, stylus, voice input device, touch screen input device, etc. Output device(s) 770 such as a display, speakers, printer, short-range transceiver such as a bluetooth transceiver, etc. may also be included. The computing system 700 may also include one or more communication systems 780 that allow the computing system 700 to communicate with other computing systems 790, for example, when the driving data monitor 110 on the vehicle 500 (fig. 5) is in communication with the remote computing system 650, and vice versa. As previously mentioned, the communication system 780 may include systems for wired or wireless communication. Communication media in the form of usable data signals typically carry computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" may include a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of illustrative example only, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, Radio Frequency (RF), infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media.

With further reference to FIG. 7, the computing system 700 may include global positioning system ("GPS") circuitry 785 that may automatically discern its location based on relative position with respect to a plurality of GPS satellites. As described further below, the GPS circuitry 785 may be used to determine the location of the vehicle 300 (fig. 3), and potentially identify alternative routes.

Referring to fig. 8, the vehicle 500 (fig. 5) may include an operator assistance system 340 that includes a fully autonomous driving system 850 to autonomously drive the vehicle 500 and/or any number of operator assistance features to assist an operator in driving the vehicle 500. The driving analysis system 120 may consider the availability and use of these operator assistance features to the operator when generating the driving insurance quotes 125 (fig. 1 and 4). The operator assistance system 340 may include a forward collision warning system 802 to warn an operator traveling at normal travel speeds of a stopped vehicle or other object on the road. Incorporating forward collision warning system 802, or reusing the same, may indicate operator inattention, or indicate a route that may include danger in the form of a sudden stop of the vehicle. Similarly, the operator assistance system 340 may include an automatic emergency braking system 804. When the forward collision warning system 802 warns the operator to apply the brakes to avoid a stop or other object on the road, the automatic emergency braking system 804 actually automatically engages the brakes to automatically stop the vehicle 500 when a stop or other object is detected on the road. The incorporation of automatic emergency braking system 804 may also indicate operator inattention, or indicate routes that may include dangers in the form of sudden vehicle stops.

The operator assistance system 340 may also include an adaptive cruise control system 806. Adaptive cruise control system 806 automatically adjusts the cruise speed set by the operator or cruise control system to reflect the speed of the forward traffic. For example, if the operator sets the adaptive cruise control system 806 to an advertised highway speed of 65 miles per hour, but the speed of the vehicle traveling on the road ahead varies between 55 and 65 miles per hour due to traffic, the adaptive cruise control system 806 will repeatedly adjust the cruise speed to maintain the desired distance between the vehicle and other vehicles in the road ahead. In various embodiments, the desired distance may be adjusted to reflect current conditions, including traffic and weather conditions.

The operator assistance system 340 may include a lane departure warning system 808 that warns the operator of a potential hazard when the vehicle is suddenly turned to approach or cross a lane marker. The enablement of the operator assistance system 340 recorded in the trip data 115 for the route may indicate operator inattention. The operator assistance system 340 may include a lane keeping assistance system 810 that steers the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from suddenly turning to approach or cross lane markings.

The operator assistance system 340 may include a blind spot detection system 812 that warns the operator of a vehicle traveling in a blind spot behind the vehicle, alerting the operator not to change lanes in such a situation. The operator assistance system 340 may include a steering wheel engagement system 814 that detects when the operator releases the steering wheel. Releasing the steering wheel may be recorded into the trip data 115 as an inadvertent indication of the operator. The operator assistance system 340 may also include a traffic sign recognition system 816 that recognizes, for example, stop signs or speed limit signs. The availability of the traffic sign recognition system 816 may make driving on the ground or adjacent streets more desirable because the system will help reduce the likelihood of accidents caused by missing signs or driving at inappropriate speeds.

The operator assistance system 340 may also include a rear cross-traffic alert system 818 to notify the operator of the approach of another vehicle when the vehicle leaves the space. Similarly, the operator assistance system 340 may include a backup warning system 820 that warns the operator when the vehicle approaches an object behind the vehicle. The operator assistance system 340 may include an automatic high beam control system 822 to deactivate and reactivate the high beam as other vehicles approach and pass by. The availability of such a system may reduce the likelihood of an event occurring in the event of insufficient or no lighting while driving on a highway or on a surface street. The operator assistance system 340 may also include a manual park assist system 824 to assist the operator in parking.

Referring to fig. 9, as previously described, the driving data monitor 110 may receive data from a plurality of sensors 900 to monitor driving behavior. As previously described, some of the sensors 900 may include vehicle sensors 111 mounted on the vehicle 500 (fig. 5) and/or coupled with systems of the vehicle, such as the driving system 530. Other ones of the sensors, such as accelerometers or other sensors, may be housed within the driving data monitor 110, regardless of whether the driving data monitor 110 is incorporated into the vehicle 500 or a separate computing device, such as a portable computer, tablet, smartphone, or smart watch, that is movable on the vehicle 500.

In addition to the GPS sensor 930, which may be used to track position or motion, the sensor 900 may include an accelerometer 932 to detect rapid acceleration or deceleration, which may indicate overly aggressive driving, hard braking, abrupt turns, or other actions that may indicate an aggressive or inattentive or dangerous mode of traffic to the operator. Sensor 900 may include a gyroscope 934 to detect abrupt directional changes indicative of a dangerous road, an abrupt lane change, or a sharp turn.

The sensors 900 may also include at least one following distance sensor 936 that determines how close the vehicle 500 is to other vehicles. Following distance sensor 936 may use any technique capable of determining a following distance from another vehicle, such as radar, LIDAR, optical measurements using a camera or other optical sensor, ultrasonic measurements, laser measurements, or any other technique that can be used to determine a following distance from another vehicle. Recording the following distance data for a particular route may indicate whether traffic conditions on these roads indicate an increased risk of loss, whether the operator tends to follow other vehicles too close on the particular route, or other issues.

Sensor 900 may also include a device sensor, such as tire pressure sensor 938, to monitor whether the tire is inflated to a recommended level. The sensors 900 may include various device sensors 940 to determine whether other systems, such as lights, speakers, and wipers, have been used on a particular route. The sensor 900 may also include a seat belt sensor 942 to indicate whether the occupant has fastened a seat belt during a particular trip. The sensors 900 may also include a phone usage sensor 944 (which may take the form of an application executing on the phone) to report whether the operator is handling or operating the operator's phone while driving. The sensors 900 may include airbag deployment sensors 946 or crash sensors 948 to report catastrophic events that result in a crash and/or warrant a severe crash of the deployed airbag.

Finally, the sensors 900 may include one or more operator status sensors 950. The operator condition sensors 950 may communicate with a health monitoring device, which may be included in a smart watch or incorporated into a wearable device such as a health monitoring band. These devices may monitor heart rate or other operator conditions. The operating condition sensor 950 may also include a blood alcohol sensor or similar device to measure whether the operator is likely to be compromised. In summary, the driving analysis system 120 (fig. 1 and 4) may evaluate the information provided by the sensors 900 to evaluate the operator's selections and driving behavior.

Further, in various embodiments, sensor 900 may include an off-road sensor 952. The degree of off-road operation of the vehicle and the manner in which the vehicle is operated under these conditions may also be indicative of the driver's driving behavior.

Table (1) presents a list of data that may be presented by the operator assistance system 340 and/or the vehicle data system 380 as described with reference to fig. 6 and 7. Table (1) includes data fields that may be recorded, e.g., the frequency at which data is sampled and/or stored.

Watch (1)

Some or all of the information listed in table (1) as well as other information may be used to evaluate trip data 115 (fig. 1-4) to determine an operator's score. Accordingly, trip data 115 may be scored.

Referring to fig. 10, in various embodiments, a cabin 520 (fig. 5) of a vehicle includes an operator display and input system 550 (fig. 5) and a plurality of devices for identifying an operator and performing other functions. The cabin 520 typically includes a windshield 1010 and operator seats 1020, as well as a steering wheel 1026 and other control devices, such as an accelerator, brake pedals, and switches (not shown) that operate headlights, wipers, and the like.

To identify the operator, the car 520 may include an operator identification system 570 (fig. 3) that includes some or all of the plurality of identification devices. One or more cameras or other imaging devices 1030 may be positioned to image the operator, which may be identified using image recognition. The operator may also be identified by adjusting the operator seat 1020 to an adjustment position 1022 that is preferred by the particular operator. The position may be set by selecting one of a plurality of memory buttons (not shown) that may be assigned to each of a plurality of operators. Also, the passenger compartment 320 may include a fob identifier 1042 that identifies not only that the fob 1044 is authorized to operate the vehicle, but also when the fob 1044 is assigned to a particular operator. For example, the key fob 1044 can include a personalized radio frequency identification tag (RFID) and the key fob identifier 1042 can include an RFID reader. Also, the car 520 may include a device connection system 1052 that identifies whether the smartphone 1054 is associated with a particular operator of the vehicle, in addition to, for example, enabling the smartphone 1054 to interact with an entertainment system or other system of the vehicle. Device connection system 1052 may also be used to identify the presence of a smart watch 1056 or health monitoring device 1058, such as a health monitoring band or other wearable device, associated with a particular operator to identify the operator.

The operator display and input system 550 provides a series of information regarding the route, vehicle operation, and, in various embodiments, the driving insurance quotes 125 (fig. 1 and 4), as previously described. In various embodiments, the operator display and input system 550 may be a touch screen that enables an operator to select various vehicle operations to be controlled. In various embodiments, the car 520 may include other control devices, such as 1070-1073, to engage or disengage autopilot or operator assistance features or to perform other functions. The controllers 1070-1073 may be on the dash 1090, the steering wheel 1026, or on another surface in the passenger compartment 520. It should be understood that controllers 1070-1073 may be only a subset of the available or required controllers for implementing the autopilot or operator assistance features, or that some or all of these features may be controlled by operator display and input system 550.

In various embodiments, various devices may be used to identify distracted driving on the part of the operator. For example, one or more cameras or imaging devices 1030 may be used to determine whether the operator is not looking at the road, eating while driving, applying make-up while driving, or is distracted by a phone or other object. Similarly, the device connection system 1052 may communicate with a smartphone 1054, a smart watch 1056, or a health monitoring device 1058 to determine whether an operator is operating one of these devices while driving. The smart watch 1056 or health monitoring device 1058 may communicate via the device connection system whether the operator is moving excessively, which may indicate that the operator is gesturing excessively, e.g., as part of a conversation, or moving with music, which may indicate distracted driving.

Referring to fig. 11, an illustrative method 1100 of collecting and evaluating driving data to potentially generate driving insurance offers 125 is presented. The method 1100 begins at block 1105. At block 1110, driving data indicative of driving behavior is collected to report at least one driving activity selected from acceleration, deceleration, stopping, and steering of the vehicle. At block 1120, a driving score is assigned based on the driving data. At block 1130, it is determined whether the driving score meets the driving insurance offer 125 provided by the insurance provider. At block 1140, the driving insurance offer 125 is communicated in response to the driving score meeting the driving insurance offer 125. The method 1100 ends at block 1145.

It will be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely illustrative in nature and that variations that do not depart from the gist and/or spirit of the claimed subject matter are intended to be within the scope of the claims. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A system, the system comprising:

a driving data monitor configured to receive driving data regarding driving behavior of at least one operator of a vehicle; and

a driving analysis system configured to:

receiving the driving data from the driving data monitor;

assigning a driving score based on the driving data;

determining whether the driving score meets a driving insurance offer provided by an insurance provider; and

in response to the score meeting the driving insurance offer, communicating the driving insurance offer through an interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving insurance offer comprises a driving insurance offer selected from one of driving insurance offers for a particular operator and a plurality of operators of a particular vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, the driving analysis system configured to assign the driving score based at least in part on detecting:

comparing the travel speed to the announced speed limit and the condition-adjusted speed limit;

acceleration relative to a predetermined acceleration limit;

braking relative to a predetermined deceleration limit; and

to distracted driving.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving data monitor comprises at least one of:

an on-board system integrated into vehicle operation; and

a computing device capable of moving on a vehicle, the computing device comprising one of a portable computer, a tablet, a smartphone, and a smartwatch.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving data monitor receives the driving data from a plurality of sensors selected from at least one of:

a vehicle sensor incorporated into the vehicle; and

a monitor sensor incorporated into the driving data monitor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving data monitor is further configured to identify a particular operator using an identifier selected from at least one of:

a key fob identifier configured to identify a key fob assigned to the particular operator;

a communication identifier configured to detect a presence on the vehicle of one of a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a health monitoring device associated with the particular operator;

a seat position identifier detector configured to identify the particular operator based on a position of a driver seat associated with the particular operator; and

an image of the particular operator, the image being determinable by an imaging system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving analysis system is further configured to determine:

whether the operator has received a previous driving insurance offer from an insurance provider prior to determining whether the driving score qualifies the operator for the driving insurance offer; and is

Whether the driving insurance offer has a lower cost than the previous driving insurance offer prior to communicating the driving insurance offer to the operator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the driving analysis system is further configured to incorporate a range of at least one of:

the operator assistance function is enabled;

the operator assistance function takes corrective action

Automatic driving is enabled; and

distracted driving is detected.

9. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a car configured to accommodate at least one passenger;

a driving system configured to drive, accelerate, decelerate, stop, and steer the vehicle;

a vehicle control system configured to allow an operator to guide operation of the vehicle;

a driving data monitor configured to receive driving data regarding driving behavior; and

a driving analysis system configured to:

receiving the driving data from the driving data monitor;

assigning a driving score based on the driving data;

in response to the score meeting the driving insurance offer, communicating the driving insurance offer via an interface.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving insurance offer includes a driving insurance offer selected for one of a particular operator and an operator of a particular vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, the driving analysis system configured to assign the driving score based at least in part on detecting:

acceleration relative to a predetermined acceleration limit;

braking relative to a predetermined deceleration limit; and

to distracted driving.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving data monitor comprises at least one of:

an on-board system integrated into vehicle operation; and

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving data monitor is further configured to identify a particular operator from at least one identifier selected from the group consisting of:

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving data processing system is further configured to determine:

prior to determining whether the driving score meets the driving insurance offer, whether a previous driving insurance offer is received from the insurance provider; and is

Whether the driving insurance offer has a lower cost than the previous driving insurance offer prior to communicating the driving insurance offer.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving analysis system is further configured to incorporate a range of at least one of:

the operator assistance function is enabled;

the operator assistance function takes corrective action

Automatic driving is enabled; and

distracted driving is detected.

16. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the driving analysis system is further configured to incorporate an action taken by the operator assistance system in the driving score.

17. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

collecting driving data indicative of driving behavior to report data on at least one driving activity selected from acceleration, deceleration, stopping and steering of the vehicle;

assigning a driving score based on the driving data;

communicating the driving insurance offer in response to the driving score qualifying the operator for the driving insurance offer.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

providing the driving insurance offer to a particular operator; and

the driving insurance quotes are given to a plurality of operators of the particular vehicle.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising assigning the driving score based at least in part on an assessment of the operator based on at least one of:

acceleration relative to a predetermined acceleration limit;

braking relative to a predetermined deceleration limit; and

to distracted driving.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, the method further comprising determining:

whether a previous driving insurance offer has been received from the insurance provider prior to determining whether the driving score meets the driving insurance offer; and is